Of Lambs and Wolves
by Ghost Pilot
Summary: "Ivan couldn't help but cringe a little. Doctor Bonnefoy spoke of the patient like he was some sort of wild animal. Well, it wasn't a lie. What he did was far from human. Alfred the cannibal, a former respected psychiatrist." Silence of the Lambs RusAme AU. Warning: graphic horror, gore, cursing, will add more as the story progresses. Reviews appreciated!
1. Potential

"He's a monster. A complete psychopath. It's so rare to capture one alive, especially _him_. Your mentor gave us a real gift! On a research point of view, he's our most prized possession! _Le pactole_!" Doctor Francis Bonnefoy was a smarmy little peacock who spent most of his days sitting behind a vast desk with a wall decorated with certificates behind him.

Ivan couldn't help but cringe a little. Doctor Bonnefy spoke of the patient like he was some sort of wild animal. Well, it wasn't a lie. What he did was far from human. Alfred the cannibal, a former respected psychiatrist.

"We get a lot of detectives around here, and I have to say, I don't remember seeing one as… attractive as you. Are you staying overnight? The city is lovely with the right guide." Dr. Bonnefy gave Ivan a charming smile. He stroked the card that Ivan gave him earlier with an expensive looking pen.

Ivan didn't hesitate to shoot the doctor a silent but fierce glare emitting the vibe of ' _I carry a gun and I take classes of intense training to bring down men three times the size of you_ '. The doctor nervously laughed as if he read his mind and turned his gaze down to the floor to avert the heated glare.

"I'm very sorry doctor, but I'm on strict instructions to talk to Dr. Jones and report back this afternoon. I'm sure you know how Beilschmidt operates."

The whole mood seemed to change with him. Tall proud peacock feathers wilted into something more sulky and sour. Perhaps a porcupine. "Well, he's not a doctor anymore…" The doctor almost spat.

Ivan shifted in his seat and sighed heavily. Dammit, why didn't his mentor straight out tell him about the doctor's slimey attitude? If he was an actual FBI agent, maybe this would be easier instead of dealing with yahoos who never took him seriously. He envied the way people listened to Ludwig, the way his subordinates listened to him like obedient children and how he made criminals shake in their boots. But he'd get there. This was already a blessing.

* * *

" _Mr. Braginski " Ivan looked up and his eyes met with icy blue ones. He stood up immediately out of respect and Ludwig, his mentor, nodded back in mutual understanding. It was the one thing that Ivan liked about their relationship. It weighed on a mutual respect. Voices started to quietly whisper and a few snickers whispered by his ears muttering about how he was sooo in trouble._

" _I need a favor." The snickers stopped. It was difficult trying to ignore the pair. Especially since Ludwig Beilschmidt, a retired FBI agent who caught the most feared predators, never asked for favors. Especially from his students._

* * *

"Then I suppose we should just get to it. Let's make this quick, I'm a busy man."

Ivan could only describe the asylum as a nightmarish reality. It wasn't like in the horror movies. Well, a little bit. There was no natural light because the asylum was underground for maximum security purposes. Behind every nurse were at least two security guards fully armed. Ivan shuddered when he heard a loud clang as the iron gate behind them started to close. The doctor took the opportunity to be in the lead, and Ivan didn't object.

"Jones killed 15 people. Or at least, that's all that we confirmed. Sliced 'em up and cooked his favorite bits. Apparently the heathen even served his victims to guest. We really did try to study him, but he's a former psychiatrist himself. Too…. sophisticated for regular tests. And my goodness, does he ever hate us! He considers me as his nemesis I think." Francis hummed and Ivan wondered why on Earth would the doctor be so proud of the fact that he was enemies with a serial killer. But Ivan realized it wasn't the fact that they were enemies, it was the fact that Alfred was _his_ prisoner. "Quite surprised Beilschmidt even gave you the opportunity to talk to him. You're still a student after all, and it's not like we had other FBI agents come in here to talk-"

"I came here because my mentor believed it would be good experience for me. And a breath of fresh air for Dr. Jones." Ivan noticed the little flinch Francis gave him every time he mentioned Alfred as 'doctor'. If Francis was going to give him a hard time, why not retaliate?

* * *

" _Sir? Are you sure about this? I'm not questioning you, but I'm not exactly the most qualified for this task-"_

" _What did I tell you about self doubt? Ivan, you are one of the brightest student here in the academy. You graduated top in your class double majoring in forensic sciences and criminal justice back in college. You are the youngest student here and no doubt the most successful. I have no doubt about your potential. Do you?"_

* * *

"There are strict rules here. Remember, you are being watched and recorded as well. Do not touch or approach the glass. You pass him nothing but soft paper. No pencils or pens. No staples or paperclips in his paper. Use the sliding food carrier. If he attempts to pass you anything, do not accept it under any circumstances."

"Understood."

"Then understand the precautions we take. Two years ago, he started to complain about sharp pains in his stomach and we took him out to the medical ward. His restraints were removed for an EKG. When the nurse leaned over him, he tried to eat her. The doctors managed to reset her jaw, more or less, save one of her eyes. His pulse didn't even rise when he ate her tongue. A true psychopath. I'll spare you the grisly photograph."

Ivan shuddered. The description was horrific enough. "Um, Dr. Bonnefoy. If Jones thinks you are rivals, perhaps it's best if I go in by myself."

Francis looked back and gave the agent a glare. "You might have suggested this in my office and saved me the time." Shit, he was starting to mess this up.

"I apologize sir. I would have missed your company if I had though." Ivan tried his best to fake a charming smile and he wasn't sure or not if the doctor bought it or not.

The doctor leaned over to a nurse. "Bring him out when he's done." And he left Ivan alone. The student actually was starting to feel a bit terrified. The whole idea seemed fine, and well, traing to become an FBI agent, one like him didn't really feel fear. He must have shown it in his face, because the nurse gave a reassuring smile and a small comforting laugh.

"Don't worry, we have twelve guards on standby and three more will be right outside. I'm Bella, one of the nurses that happens to attend to Mr. Jones. You can hang up your coat if you like." She smiled and held out her hand. Ivan didn't hesitate to shake it.

Bella was a charming young woman with beautiful short brown hair and huge green, deer-like eyes and had an essence of a mother. She was comforting. Ivan smiled, already starting to feel a little bit better.

"Very nice to meet you, miss."

"Follow me. Please ignore the other patients, they can get rowdy. He's all the way in the back to the right. His cell is the only one with safety glass. Pretty hard to miss. I'm sure the doctor already went over the rules! No touching the glass and all of that." Ivan walked at her side as she trotted through the loud hall.

If Ivan ever went to Hell, he would imagine the gateway would be a little like this. Men screamed and shouted indecencies. Many making suggested catcalls and Ivan could have sworn one started to masturbate and fling his own semen across his cell. He couldn't imagine what it was like working here. They got to a doorway and Bella gave him a smile.

"I'll be right outside the hall. You'll be fine! There's a chair for you to sit at. There are security cameras everywhere!"

"Thank you very much."

Ivan took a deep breath.

* * *

" _Sir, I understand why we are talking to him, but do you really think that he'll be willing to help the FBI? What if I can't get any information from him-"_

" _Then we'll try something else. But the murders are incredibly similar, almost identical in some cases. It would wouldn't be a coincidence if Alfred actually knew the Spider. We have to try"_

* * *

"Good morning." Ivan could have sworn the modulated voice could break through the thick glass. It was strong, sharp, and almost mocking. Ivan took the seat across the chair and Alfred smiled.

The cell was one he never seen before. Unlike the others which was iron bars, glass held Alfred in his cage. The cell was neatly organized as Ivan spotted some sketches in the corner of his cell and books in the other. Alfred was perched on his bed, reading what looked like the Communist Manifesto. Mugshots of Alfred did him no justice. The man had a strong jawline and eyes icy enough to even rival Ludwig's. His hair was messy, and he popped the collar on his jumpsuit like some sort of teenage deviant, but nevertheless, he still looked sophisticated, like he belonged in a seat of an opera house.

"Hello, Dr. Jones. My name is Ivan Braginski. May I speak with you?" Ivan kept his tone level. _Alfred Jones is a master manipulator._

"Huh. You're one of Beilschmidt's? Thought the FBI didn't hire commies." He smirked and held up his book as if to show it off. "Great concept, bad in reality. Humans are like lambs; dumb and useless and blindly led by wolves."

"I am with him, yes. I am also from Russia, but that doesn't make me a communist, especially since that I must be a legal US citizen who went under several-"

"Boring. Can I see your credentials?"

"Certainly." Ivan stood up, and took out his badge inside of his jacket that was issued by him by Ludwig and held it up.

"Closer please. I have very bad eyesight." The Russian was a bit hesitant, but took a step closer.

"Closer~" Alfred purred out again. Ivan was careful not to touch the glass. "That expires in a week. You're not a real FBI agent are you?"

"I'm still in training, doctor." Ivan kept his breathing even, focusing on not trying to show his surprise. Ludwig warned him that he was manipulative, observant, and the essence of evil.

"Ludwig Beilschmidt sent a trainee to me? That's rich. They're bored of me already?"

"Yes, I'm a student. I'm here to learn from you. Maybe you can decide whether or not I'm qualified enough to do that."

Alfred smirked again and stood up from the bed he was sitting on to stand in front of Ivan. "I'm tired of formalities, and this place is making me rather impatient nowadays. You're here to inquire about the Spider, aren't you? That serial killer on the loose. Tell me, why do they call him that? Newspapers don't tell em much and you can probably guess I'm rather a shut in to the outside world. "

"It started out as a joke at the police station, since he uses traps to catch his victims then rips out their organs. Also, the first victim had her intestines hanging on a tree branch and I supposed it looked like a little bit like a spiderweb."

"Ah, right. I remember reading about that one. She missed her liver and kidney and half of her brain. He has good taste." Alfred closed his eyes and licked his lips, looking like he was relishing a memory. "You know those Morman's who come to your door? Or perhaps he was a Jehovah's Witness. It didn't matter, he ended up in my stomach. I crushed his skull and scooped out his brains like ice cream. It's actually quite delicious. Later I ate his liver with some rice."

Ivan narrowed his eyes. He knew Alfred was trying to intimidate could be a test. And Ivan would happily play along if it meant getting the information he wanted.

"A trend we noticed with Spider is that he only targets young women, doesn't matter their race, but the always have long hair. He takes a lock of every victim. That, and he started to take organs. We still don't know if he eats them or not, or keeps them as a trophy."

"My oh my, it looks like I have an admirer! Too bad he's insulting me. Really, intestines on a tree? I would have at least made a more decorative scene."

Alfred looked at Ivan as if to expect him to say something. And Ivan was, but bit his tongue. He couldn't show weakness.

"Doctor, can you please help me?"

"Who is your father, dear? ls he a coal miner? What about your mother? Perhaps a whore back in Russia who spent all of her earning to get you out." He laughed. "And what about you? All those tedious, sticky fumblings in the back seats of cars, while you could only dream of getting out, getting anywhere, getting all the way to the FBl."

Ivan smiled. Oh wow, was he ever good.

"Actually, my mother was a doctor and she was murdered. I used her earnings to send me, but also my sisters out to the United States for a better life. You see a lot, Dr. Jones." Ivan remained calmed and his breathing slow. He knew Alfred just wanted to get something out of him, a reaction, an emotion. And as much fear as Ivan felt, he wasn't going to give the doctor the pleasure.

"There can be only three animals here in the world. Wolves, lambs, and lambs who think they're wolves. I've yet to figure you out, Agent Braginski. I'm done here now. Trot back to school and send Ludwig my _dearest_ regards. Trot, trot, trot!"

Ivan huffed when Alfred turned his back to him. It was over then. He knew this was going to be a bust. God, and this really could have been his big break too. The agent stood up, feeling defeated, and without a word started to walk out the door. Bella was waiting for him at the end of this Hell.

"I bite my wrist so I can die!"

Ivan looked to his left just as he left Alfred's cell. A huge dirty man gave him a sinister smile and flicked his wrist. Blood splattered on his face and Ivan stood still in complete shock. "Got ya!" Men around him started to howl in laughter.

"Look at that blood!" One shouted.

"Marty you stupid fuck! I'll fucking kill him! Agent Braginski, come back!" Ivan turned back and hurried to Alfred's cell. Guards were already starting to flow in from the ruckus.

"Agent _B_ raginski! I would not have had that happen to you. Discourtesy is unspeakably ugly." Alfred seemed to just snap. It was both fascinating and frightening and the glass between them felt thinner.

Adrenaline started to pump in Ivan's veins and he desperately tried to ignore the screams, shouts and howls. He remembered How dr. Bonnefy alluded to the fact he thought Alfred was an animal. He wondered what he thought of the other patients.

"I'll give you a chance for what you love most."

"And what is that?"

"Advancement. Listen carefully. Look deep within _yourself_ , Ivan Braginski. Go seek out Miss Artfeo, an old patient of mine. I don't think Marty could manage again so soon, even though he's crazy as shit. Go!"

* * *

 ** _Welp, there's my first fan fiction here. I'm trying really hard to improve my writing. As you could have guessed, this is a Silence of the Lambs AU with Agent!Russia and Cannibal!America. I feel really bad that I'm making France a total asshole but I was tired and had no idea who else to put as the doctor. I really wanted to try something a bit difference (even tho this AU has been done to death). Russia is usually always the bad guy, and I don't know about you, but he'll make a great FBI agent! :P_**

 ** _I don't know when the next chapter will be, but please leave me comments and constructive criticism! That will mean a lot!_**

 ** _xoxo Ghost_**


	2. Head Hunting

Ivan left the hospital, or asylum, or whatever the hell it was, shaken. Dammit, he was starting to feel dizzy and the world spun. Bella found him leaning against the wall, trying to catch his breath, and she escorted him out, directing him to a bathroom and assuring that Marty would get punished. He didn't realize it would be so soon.

"Martin Smith is dead."

"Excuse me?"

Ivan yawned, hearing his mentor's voice over the phone. After he filed his report to him, Ludwig offered him to take a few days off. Usually, he would refuse, but the whole experience was exhausting. Even his springy bed felt comfortable for once.

"Marty. The guy who flicked blood on you. Apparently, he got moved to a cell closer to Alfred and he started to whisper stuff to Martin. The man died by biting off his own tongue and choking on it. We're still getting the exact details."

Ivan found it hard to swallow and brought his hand to his mouth imagining swallowing his own tongue. It was a horrifying thought. He didn't feel tired anymore. "I…. Don't know how to feel about that sir..."

"You don't have to feel anything. I read your profile on Jones. Are you sure you left nothing out?"

"No sir. I included everything down to the way Alfred smiled when I addressed him as 'doctor'."

"Are you sure?"

"Practically verbatim. Every word, every gesture. Is there something wrong?"

He heard a sigh at the other end. "Bonnefey is blaming the death on you, but don't worry about it too much, we're going to take care of it for you. You did your job. Look, I know it got ugly last night, but you mentioned a name at the end: Artfeo. I know I told you to take a break, but did you do any follow up on her?"

"Of course sir. Er, one second." Ivan stretched his arms over his head and reached for his computer on his nightstand. Of course, he wasn't able to sleep until he did a bit of research. That, and his only friend in the academy, Yao Wang, was helpful enough to finish his research while he slept. Luckily he emailed him the rest of the information with the subject titled as 'Holy Shit'.

"Ivan?"

"Ah, yes I'm here. So here's what I have. Jones destroyed most of his patient's histories. Or altered them. There's no record of 'Artfeo', but I was a bit interested in Jones's choice of words. The 'look into yourself' reference was too cheesy for him. Then I thought about the word 'yourself'. I emailed Yao Wang and there's a 'Your Self' storage facility outside of downtown. Actually, there were three. One of them caught our eye. There's a unit in one of them that was leased for ten years and it's pre-paid. The contract is in the name of a Miss. Pam Artfeo. Nobody has been there for years as far as the employees know. I was going to get Yao to check it out after all, he was interested in doing some field work-"

"No, I want you. I'm sorry to disturb you, but this is important. This is _your_ case, not Wang's. How soon can you get there?"

"Getting dressed now, sir."

"I can't _believe_ Ludwig isn't letting me come with you. What a fucking asshole."

Ivan smiled. "Careful, I'm pretty sure the FBI knows how to tap cell phones. Who knows, maybe he tapped this phone."

"Yeah well, Ludwig if you're hearing this, fuck you. Also, give me a raise and take me out of these fucking martial arts class. I already know how to kick your ass, I don't need a class to learn that. I swear he's out to get me."

Ivan laughed, keeping his eye on the dark road. He couldn't believe he slept all day. He silently rehearsed multiple lines in his head. It really would have been nice if Ludwig provided him with at least some backup. But maybe this storage unit was more of a 'just in case' thing rather than something to be worried about.

"Thank you so much, Yao. Don't worry, if I ever become a real FBI agent, I'll highly recommend you!"

"Oh fuck you too," More laughter.

Ivan pulled up to a dark parking lot and a man waved him over. That must have been the owner he contacted earlier. Thank God he was available. "I have to go. I'm here. Good luck to me I suppose."

"Yeah, good luck. Remember to give me all the juicy details on that freak's storage unit! Pam, ugh, I hate that name… Reminds me of a grumpy school nurse. Maybe she has a collection of really fucked up sex toys!"

Ivan rolled his eyes and hung up on his friend.

* * *

" _Hey you. Come spar with me."_

 _Ivan turned around as he was stretching his arms. A man was on the ground groaning. One of the classes he was required to take in the academy was gym. Well, not exactly like gym. Instead of teaching students how to play mundane sports, they were taught about chokeholds and how to wrestle a man twice their size down to the ground. Luckily, Ivan seemed to pick up the skill rapidly. His burly size sure had an advantage. He turned around and smiled at a Chinese man half his size with long hair tied in a ponytail and his hands on his hips. "What's your name?"_

" _Ivan. And you?"_

" _Yao. Bet I could take you down like timber!" And he did. The next day, they wrestled again._

* * *

"Let's see… Pam Artfeo, right? Ah, her storage unit is 33b." The owner, a man who introduced himself as Jack led Ivan through the storage boxes. This itself, could be an ecosystem. Critters scurried out of the way when Ivan moved his flashlight and the boxes reflected a more solid definition of the term 'concrete jungle'.

When they landed at unit 33b, Jack snapped the padlock. with a large heavy duty wire cutter. "You must understand, privacy is a huge thing with our customers so-"

"I won't move anything, I promise. I'll be out and in." Ivan smiled as Jack shrugged and watched the agent grunt until he managed to open the damn unit. He carefully stepped inside and kept a hand hovering over his gun while the other held the flashlight.

The light illuminated various objects that were rather… Ordinary. A few book shelves, a lot of blankets. Not to mention the place was obviously untouched for years. Cobwebs decorated the place and the agent could hear small mice scurry throughout the unit, chewing on old coats. Ivan was looking at a sofa, wondering if he should tear the cushions when he nearly tripped on a grey storage box. What the….

It was heavy. Something was inside. Ivan held the flashlight in his mouth (the damn thing was taped closed) and as soon as he opened it, a pungent smell hit his nose like a punch. Two milky white eyes met with Ivan's and a smile without teeth made him freeze. Inside, there was a very large sealed mason jar with an entire head. It was as if the head didn't even know it was decapitated. The woman in the jar smiled without teeth, relieved she was finally discovered. She was in a pool of alcohol and the agent even noticed bits of flesh floating around her head. Ivan dropped his flashlight.

* * *

" _So, why do you want to be an FBI agent?" Yao grinned as he spun himself in one of the office chairs inside the forensic lab. The assignment was to match DNA, and frankly, it was child's play. Ivan looked up from the microscope and scoffed._

" _That's a little personal."_

" _Oh come on, I've known you for months, but I still don't_ know _you."_

" _Well, I have two sisters. They're very dear to me, but I haven't really seen them in a while..."_

" _If it makes you feel better, I haven't seen anyone in my family for two years. Hey wait a second, what are you doing with my sample?!"_

* * *

"Miss. Pam Artfeo. It's an anagram, isn't it Dr. Jones? When you unscramble the entire name, it's 'miss a part of me'."

Alfred grinned, completely delighted. "So you are smart! I knew you would figure it out! Well done, Agent!"

"Which, also means that you rented out the unit." Ivan glared, trying to keep his composure. As soon as he found the head, he called in for help and had the entire place searched. As soon as Ludwig arrived, he instructed him to talk to Alfred right away. Luckily he didn't have to deal with Dr. Bonnefey since it was nearly midnight. Bella however, was working. And she didn't hesitate to let Ivan back in to meet with Alfred Jones.

"Why don't you ask me about the Spider?" Alfred grinned. This was just a game to him, wasn't it? His own source of entertainment, pulling the strings of law enforcement within his own cell.

"Do you know something about him?"

"I might if you show me the case file." Ivan gritted his teeth. Fuck. "You could get that for me."

"Dr. Jones, if you don't get me the information I need, I'm afraid I'll have to leave-"

"Oh come on!" Alfred whined. "But the fun has just begun!" For punishment for Marty, Alfred had everything confiscated. His drawings were gone, books, anything material was stripped from his cell. The only thing that remained was him and the bed. "Her real name was Jillian Suto. I didn't kill her, I promise you that. She was a former patient of mine."

Ivan narrowed his eyes, but sat back down, listening attentively.

"I didn't kill her." He repeated. "I simply tucked her away as much as I found her, after she missed four appointments with me."

"If you didn't kill her, then who did?"

"Who can say? Best thing for her, really. Her therapy was getting nowhere." Alfred rolled his eyes. "Garden-variety manic-depressive. Tedious, very tedious. I now just think of her as a kind of experiment." Alfred looked up and grinned, giving Ivan that same icy stare he gave him the first day they met. "How did you feel when you found her, Ivan?"

"Terrified at first, then exhilarated." Ivan shrugged. After all, it was his first time alone on a field mission. It was horrific, but also enlightening. It was like a final call from God, confirming this was what he was supposed to do with his life.

Ludwig Beilschmidt is helping you a lot in your career, isn't he? Apparently he likes you and you like him."

"I never thought about it."

"Do you think Ludwig Beilschmidt wants you, sexually?"

Ivan laughed out loud."O-kay, doctor, now you're just being ridiculous-"

"Oh please. Don't you dare pull the whole 'I don't swing that way' spiel with me. I'm a psychiatrist. Or used to be one anyways. True, he is much older, but do you think he visualises scenarios of him fucking you?"

The agent rolled his eyes. Now he was just trying to toy with him. "Is your boredom making you pathetic, Dr. Jones? I'll be honest, even if my mentor did think of me in that way, I'm not interested. I'm training to be a professional. And frankly, it's the sort of 'ugly discourtesy' that Marty would say, don't you think?"

Alfred hummed. "Not anymore~"

* * *

 **OKAY so I totally didn't think the puzzle through and Miss. Pam Artfeo worked a lot better than the last one (and actually made sense), so sorry if you read the last chapter before I edited it! Also this chapter is slightly short, but I have AP exams tomorrow and I'm a bit stressed out haha! Thinking of moving this to M... It's gonna get gory. And for the plans I have for Ivan, somewhat smutty...**

 **xoxo Ghost**


	3. Waiting

_**Painfully short chapter, but I'm planning to get a big chapter up before this weekend!**_

 _ **-Ghost**_

* * *

"So what's with the television?" Ivan returned to Alfred's cozy little cell much to the cannibal's delight and to Francis's distraught. Luckily Ludwig filled out a finalized warrant for him. After all, Ivan was the furthest with information when it came to Alfred F. Jones.

"Punishment. It's a religious program. Just a foolish preacher screaming lies to accommodate his own conveniences. Dr. Bonnefoy is petty when it comes to punishments. Honestly, he _knows_ how much I hate these. Religion is just a tool to justify their own sins and to feel like their pathetic little lives have meaning. They twist it to justify 'manifest destiny' and all of this other complete shit. Honestly, religion killed more people than I have ever did, and they call _me_ a murderer. I only killed people I thought were exceptionally rude. When you leave, they'll turn it up. The doctor knows how annoyed I get by hypocrisy."

"Dr. Jones, there has been a disappearance last night." Ivan shifted in his seat. Another girl has been taken. It could have been just a kidnapping completely unrelated to the Spider, but it was different this time. More personal. Elizabeta Héderváry, a very close childhood friend to Ludwig was snatched outside her apartment. No one saw and the only evidence was her bag that was left on the street. It wasn't a robbery because everything inside it was intact. Who ever the killer was, he knew that Ludwig lead the case and he was taunting him. Perhaps showing off to Alfred. He must of not wanted to hear any of it, because as usual, Alfred changed the subject.

"I've been in this room for eight years now, Ivan. I know they will never ever let me out while I'm alive. What I really want is a view. I want a window where I can see a tree, or even water. Something besides concrete and screaming men. And I want to be as far away from Dr. Bonnefoy as I could." Alfred paused in thought. "Tell me about the disappearance."

"Her name was Liz. She's a nurse at an emergency room and childhood friends with Ludwig and his brother. We don't think this is a coincidence."

Alfred snorted. "It's not. Idiot is taunting me. I'll help you catch him, Ivan. I can give even give you a psychological profile of the Spider, based on the case evidence."

"You know who he is." It was a statement more than a question, because at this point, both of them knew the answer. "Tell me who he is, doctor. Please."

Alfred burst out laughing. "' _Please_.' That's a good try. But good things come to those who wait. That's a saying, isn't it? I waited a long time, but how long could the German and you wait?"

* * *

You learn things everyday when you work at the ER. Like tonight, Liz learned that a toddler could survive swallowing a pair of scissors. And, that it could keep on screaming the entire procedure and not once lose his voice. Honestly, as much as she loved her job, the 30-year-old would really like a break once in a while. Especially from children swallowing odd things or people shoving things up their assholes that really shouldn't be up there.

She sighed, nearly collapsing on her steering wheel. Jesus Christ, could she ever use a break. At least she was good for this weekend. She didn't know if she could handle dealing with another stupid teenager thinking they've overdosed on weed (it was if you consumed over a thousand pounds of it, which was impossible for an 18 year old stealing their parents money, or anyone in that matter) or experimenting with alcohol enemas (seriously the most idiotic thing ever). Of course, Liz had her fair share of stupidity when she was a teenager, but now she just took care of the kids who took it too far.

Liz undid her ponytail, waiting in car just to muster up enough strength to get out and go up to her apartment, because frankly her bed was a lot more comfortable than her car. She got out, locked it, and grabbed her bag from her trunk. She smiled when she saw her dog in the third floor window. The white little westie grinned back and wag his tail when he saw her and barked.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." The apartment building was pretty much empty on the outside (well it was three in the morning) and instinctively she slid her keys through her fingers like claws. Strangely, there was one person in the parking lot. A man with a broken arm was struggling to lift a sofa inside of an old Odyssey van.

She walked past, holding her keys tight, just to stop and turn around. Damn her nature for caring for other people.

"Hey! Uh, need a little help?"

The man looked up and smiled. "Yes, thank you! I'm sort of missing an arm at the moment!" He laughed and Liz chuckled. "If you can just lift the top, that would be great! Mind the step, it's a bit steep.." She sighed and put her bag on the ground and lifted up her sleeves.

Not thinking much of it, the nurse stepped into the van, grunted as she lifted the sofa (fuck, were they really that heavy?) as the man pushed with his back, struggling to get the sofa inside. When she did, she didn't notice several aerosol cans lined up along the walls of the van, nor did she care for the sharp acrid smell that was getting stronger the farther she pulled back the sofa. It was weird, it almost smelled like the hospital…. Then she did look at the cans and froze. She knew this smell, and she knew those cans. It was vaporized anesthetic. Sleeping gas. Before her slight and fight instinct kicked in, the man pushed the sofa hard with his 'broken' arm. He took out a gun Liz failed to notice and shot three of the cans. She screamed and the man smiled, closing the door making sure both the nurse and the gas, remained in his van.

* * *

 _ **FUN FACT; I went to a boarding school when I was a freshman and I kid you not, kids would shove tubes up their butts filled with cheap booze so they could get drunk faster. Also, I have a friend who volunteers at the hospital and the stories he tells me are amazing and sometimes I worry a lot about teenagers (But hey I'm a teenager and I do stupid things too pfft)**_

 _ **Anyways, I sorta forgot that cursing could be a trigger for people, and it's gonna start to get a little graphic (I'm sorry Hungary! D:), so I'm going to move this story to rated M. Also, let me remind you that everything I write in my story is not meant to offend and it a pure work of fiction. I feel like I might offend people with Alfred's rant on religion...**_

 ** _Comments and suggestions are really appreciated! So fav, follow, review, everything makes me smile!_**

 ** _xoxo Ghost_**


	4. Lycosidae

"Pack your field gear. You're going with Beilschmidt." Ivan looked behind him and slowly lowered the gun he was practicing with. The indoor shooting range when silent when a supervisor trotted in.

"Er… Where?" As much as Ivan love being useful, something awful twisted in his gut.

"Up in Clay County by the river. They found a girl's body." The twist became tighter. "Hey don't worry, it isn't that girl. Ludwig confirmed it's someone else and he wants you up there for training. Come on, hurry up. It's a Spider situation." The feeling still didn't go away.

* * *

" _Tell me about your sisters."_

" _Huh? Why?"_

" _Because I'm nosy. Come on! Okay, I'll start. I have a cousin. Well, a few cousins actually. Er.. A lot of cousins. We used to be so close, but I guess we just started to drift. I remember when I lived with my little Kiku, he was so quiet and cute! Think he's starting college by now, Stanford. I feel like such an old man."_

" _Yao, you're like 24."_

" _Shut up. Now, its your turn."_

" _Um, okay. Well, there's Natalia who's 18, and Katyusha, 30. After we emigrated from Russia, Kat basically raised us after…. Well, an accident with our parents. Nat doesn't remember them and I think that's better. I love them and think about them all the time. I miss them."_

* * *

When Ivan suited up, the crime scene looked like something out of a movie. Except in a movie, you couldn't smell the rancid stench of blood and rotting flesh nor feel the heavy aura of grave expectations and solemnity. It was overwhelming.

When he spotted his mentor, Ivan quickly walked over, trying to ignore the stares of various medics, police officers, and the murmurs of observing witnesses, their curiosity blocked by the fear of the unknown and yellow tape.

Ludwig was looming over a body, and stepped aside to let Ivan observe with him. The stench was overwhelming.

"He keeps them alive for three weeks. Or around there considering what the forensic guy told me. We still don't know why." Ivan nodded, listening carefully.

"No evidence of rape or physical abuse prior to death. In fact, it's the only body we found so far was completely intact. We match the death to the other bodies; which is a single stab in the heart." The student could tell how guilty his mentor was, although he was good at hiding it. He felt relief that the body wasn't Liz. It meant she was still alive. And perhaps still alive for another three weeks. It was hopeful, but a girl had to die to give them the information.

"All the mutilation you see there is postmortem. After, three week. Then he stabs them, collects certain organs, then dumps them. Or at least this one. Usually he creates sick statues or scenes, but he must have been in a hurry with this girl. Or maybe she gave him trouble. The water leaves us no trace evidence of any kind, which is very very unfortunate."

"Or maybe he's starting to get lazy." The sheriff crossed his arms and Ivan looked up. Ludwig sighed. His mentor looked ten years older. He couldn't imagine how he would stay composed when someone so close to you has been abducted. So far, Ludwig said nothing about it. And no one dared to say anything. "Hold on, look at this map."

"Circles where the girls were abducted. Arrows where their bodies were found. This new one today washed up here. Braginski. Tell me what you see."

Ivan took a deep breath. Wow. This was it, he was officially on this case. He mustered every bit of information he collected from the academy.

"We can narrow out that he's a male. I'm…. Not so sure about his ethnicity. Serial killers tend to hunt within their own ethnic groups, but the Spider has just been focusing on women with long hair. He's not a drifter. He's got his own house somewhere, not an apartment."

"And why is that?"

"What he does to them takes privacy. You can't do that in a small apartment. He's got real physical strength. Possibly in his thirties or forties. He can't be too old since he needs to be fit and strong, but he also has an older man's mentality of self-control. He's cautious, precise... And he's never impulsive. He'll never stop."

"Explain."

"He has a taste for it now and he's getting better at his work. "

"Not bad at all, Braginski. Excellent work. Questions?"

"No sir."

"Good. Sheriff, can you please lead us to the body?"

"Over here."

The sheriff nodded his head and Ivan trailed after him. People parted to let him pass. There was a combination of exhilaration and anxiety that fluttered in his stomach.

The body was pulled up on the shore and Ivan felt guilty for even calling it a body. That was a girl. Someone's daughter, a sister. Her skin was pale from the blood being drained from her body. She fit the profile of Spider's victims. She had long hair, was fairly young, and a lock of hair was missing from long black hair. Her eyes looked like it was chewed out by fish, but it seemed like she seemed to be mostly intact despite the wounds in her neck and chest,

"Tell me what you see, Agent."

Ivan took a deep breath and knelt down next to the body. The forensic guys were still picking on the girl like some sort of high school biology frog.

"There's a stab wound entrance over the sternum…. Also a cut right on her throat. Let's see, there's dirt under her nails and one of them is chipped. So where ever she was kept, she was kept alive and fought. "

"Sick fuck didn't have the time to torture her. Which is good I guess. She'll have to go to the state pathologist at Claxton." One of the guys that was poking around her sighed. He looked young, maybe around Ivan's age. Was he a student too?

"Well, I'd better get back to that service. Lamar'll help you over there. Now let's- Jesus Christ!"

The people around the body jumped back and started to yell. Ludwig stood back. He wanted Ivan to take the wheel. Ivan swallowed, feeling more and more adrenaline pump in his veins. He went closer and closer to the girl, seeing Natalia in the gaping mouth and Kat in those large beautiful eyes. The neck was ripped open and there was something inside.

"What… Is that?" The object was small, white and covered in blood and was on top of something else. He would have passed it on some sort of algae or particle, but what was under it set his blood cold. It was a spider. In fact, the small white bundle looked like a sac.

"A spider." Ivan looked up at Ludwig with a terrified look. Who the hell were they dealing with?

"Lord Almighty…." The young forensic guy held a hand over his mouth. "I've never seen this before. Fuck, he must of made her swallow that thing. It was stuck in her throat. After he made her swallow it, he stabbed her and well then…." He didn't need to finish his statement.

"Braginski, I have another assignment for you."

Ludwig stepped in and Ivan looked up, still horrified. "Sir?"

"Bag the spider and the sac. Take it to one of our resources. There's a small lab that studies insects and I want you to identify as soon as possible. I already called them and they're expecting you." He was saving him. Thank God, because he didn't know how much longer he could stay.

* * *

" _I got invited to learn in an academy for FBI agents. I… I think I'm going to take it."  
_ " _Ivan! That is such great news!"_

" _Really? Why?"_

" _So I can protect people. So I can protect you."_

" _Can you catch the guy who killed Mama?"_

 _The room went silent and Ivan saw tears start to well in Kat's eyes. Natasha just continued with her blank stare, expecting an answer._

* * *

The lab was located in an isolated little area outside the city. Well, it was more like a wooden shack than a lab. It was founded by the college, but to prevent contamination and other dangers when it came to studying insects, the lab was located far away from the university. Ivan thought it was more of a it's-not-our-problem-if-you-screw-up sort of situation. He parked his car and ducked under some trees as he made his way into the little wooden building with the spider and the eggs in a small jar.

"No fair! That's cheating! You can't lure him with food!"

"Tough shit."

Ivan walked in with two young men shrouded in white lab coats huddled over a checker board that was crawling with cockroaches on top of a wooden crate. The lab certainly didn't look what Ivan expected (but to be honest he didn't know what to expect). It almost looked like a greenhouse. Plants were everywhere, some out in the open some in glass boxes. Cabinets were filled with specimens in jars and other supplies and chemicals. Not to mention it was extremely bright. Huge industrial bulbs hung from the ceiling.

"Ha! Look at Tomato go! See, I told you I could train him! Now what would happen if I breed him with an oriental…." It took Ivan only a second to realize the two men were twins. That's interesting. Ludwig only mentioned one of them.

"You can train cockroaches?"

They both looked up. "Yeah, if you have the patience. Who the fuck are you? See, Feli I told you we need security cameras. Any _idiota_ could walk in here."

"Lovino! Don't be rude! You're Agent Braginski, right? Welcome! I'm Feliciano and this is Lovino! Mr. Ludwig from the FBI called me earlier and- Oops I forgot to tell you an agent was coming over."

"Didn't you think that would be important to mention that? Jesus, how the fuck did you even earn your PhD?"

The twins were both graduates of the university, and despite their personality clash, it was like they were attached to the hip.

Ivan ignored their bickering and dug into his pocket to pull out the jar. The spider was still there, looking quite terrifying. It wasn't a typical pest, that's for sure. "I was wondering if you can examine this for me. Any and all information would be a great help."

Lovino paused and snatched the bottle from Ivan's hand and his mouth dropped. "Where did you find this?"

"It was found behind the soft palate of a murder victim in the river."

Feliciano grinned with wide eyes. "Wow! It's that Spider guy, isn't it? I heard about it on the internet! Is this a clue from a real murder case? Man, I didn't know that this was that serious! Maybe after this we can get some actual interns for our lab!"

"Ignore him. Holy shit, that sac is completely intact. Feli, get the tweezers and another bottle. We're gonna separate these two. You said it was found inside a victim? The murderer must have been pretty fucking rich."

"What makes you say that?"

"I can recognize this species right away. It's a Lycosidae. Or a wolf spider. And not just any wolf spider, a fucking Kauai Cave. I might have to check back on that on morphology, but these spiders are on the damn endangered list. Not only that, they're only found in Hawaii. Holy shit, you know how long I've been wanting to examine one?" Feli returned and grabbed the small glass jar and pushed some papers off the table. With a surgeon's hand, he carefully grabbed the egg sac, making sure not to tear the thin membrane.

Lovino sighed and took out a pack of cigarettes in the pocket of his lab coat. He light on and balanced it between his lips. "Feli, I'm gonna examine this little monster. Take the sac and put it in an incubator. We want those babies alive."

"Should you be smoking in your lab?" Ivan covered his mouth. God, he hated smoke. It made his throat itch and his eyes water. "Don't you think it'll will contaminate things?"

"Hey guess what." Lovino took a deep inhale and a cloud leaked from his lips. "I don't care, so suck it up." He stuck his tongue out and stormed deeper into the forest of their small lab.

"Don't mind him. He's just grumpy because he got dumped by a girl he dated for three days. The smoke subdues a lot of the critters we take care of here." Feliciano grinned when his brother left. The brothers seemed to be polar opposites in personality, but it seemed like they worked well together. Perhaps their extreme opposites canceled each other out.

"Agent? I'm gonna take care of these little guys and I'm gonna help with Lovino. Feel free to take a look around! In the back we have a little hive of bees and a small termite ecosystem too! We'll be done soon!" And with that, the scientist skipped off with the spider egg. Ivan sighed. Maybe he will look around.

The lab was actually quite the sight. Ivan discovered a small section of the lab housing only spiders in glass boxes. Some were labeled as 'poisonous' others as 'fucking poisonous'. There was also a small section for microscopes and slides. He wondered what one would do to discover their passion of interest in insects.

"Hey Agent? You in there?" Feli called out, and Ivan wadded through glass boxes and tall plants.

"Okay, so Lovi confirmed it is a Lycosidae. Not only that, it was raised with love. It died because it must of drown in that victim, but other than that, he's completely healthy. Must have been raised from an imported egg. Weird that the sac was with it. The spider is actually male, so the murderer must have placed both the sac and side of the body. Someone really planned this out. You found it inside the body? Well, the killer knew what he was doing, that's for sure. The egg wasn't even damaged." Ivan sighed, his head filled with more frustration. So the Spider wasn't getting lazy. Worse yet, he was smothering it right into his face. Fuck. He needed to find him. No, he needed to find Liz.

* * *

"Help! My leg is broken! Please help me!" Liz groaned as her voice croaked out. Where was she? It was so dark and her head was spinning. But worse yet she couldn't even move. Her leg snapped in an odd angle and every time she even twitched, pain shot straight up her leg.

She took a deep breath and held out her arm. Was that dirt? A hole, she was in an hole. And she was inside. The sky couldn't be this dark. Okay, okay, okay, it's okay. She gave herself a silent chant. It's okay, it's okay, it's okay. But it wasn't.

"Please!" She shouted for the hundredth time.

"Why won't you answer me? Please!"

* * *

 ** _Yay! Longer chapter! I hoped you enjoyed lil Italian bros! Really wanted to write them in somehow, and I finally figured it out! I'm still debating if I should add some smutty bits, bc tbh I don't think it would fit in this fic. Maybe in the end. Who knows. Anyways, please leave comments and such, I love reading them! I'm planning something quite big on the weekend! :) Stay tuned~ Also, I'm gonna start to put these on Ao3 when I have time. Could be easier reading there too (plus I like the format)_**

 ** _See ya soon!_**

 ** _xoxo Ghost_**


	5. Little Games

_**Holy heck, it's been a while since I updated! Sorry! I've been feeling unmotivated and cranky (my wisdom teeth are starting to pop outta my gums and one is growing sideways and its not fun at all). But uh, updates are gonna be slow. But I have a plan. I'm going to write one last chapter after this, then an alternative ending, then I might write a sequel and put it on AO3 (i like the system there for sequels) or just start a whole new short series. Or both.**_

 _ **Reviews really appreciated so thanks for everyone who reviewed so far! Nothing makes a writer more happy than knowing that their work is liked! (Or food. That can be a close second).**_

 _ **xoxo Ghost**_

* * *

Once again, Ivan found himself in the presence of Alfred F. Jones. He noticed that when he walked through the halls, the men were no longer shouting or screeching. It was a bit unsettling actually. Bella smiled and pulled up a chair for Ivan and left him with the serial killer. It has been a while since the last time he saw Dr. Jones. But all fear completely left him and was replaced with urgency. All he wanted to do was to save Liz.

"Agent! So glad to see you again! I missed you. Everyone here is so boring." Alfred grinned and took a seat across from Ivan, crossing his legs on the floor.

Ivan took a deep breath. Here goes nothing. Ludwig announced the deal to him this morning and had instructions to present it to Alfred. "Dr. Jones, If your profile helps us catch Spider in time to save Elizabeta Héderváry, the senator promises you a transfer to the VA hospital at Oneida Park, New York, with a view of the woods nearby. Maximum security still applies, of course. You'd have reasonable access to books, and one week of the year, you get to leave the hospital and go to Plum lsland. Every day of that week you may walk on the beach, you may swim in the ocean, for up to one hour, under SWAT team surveillance, of course. This offer is non-negotiable and final. Elizabeta Héderváry, dies, you get nothing."

Alfred was silent for a moment. "Plum Island as in the Animal Disease Research Centre over there? How charming. You sure know how to swoon a fella." He snorted out of amusement.

"Yes or no, Alfred."

"If I help you, you tell me a bit about yourself. I think that would be a fair trade as well. Information for information. I tell you things, you tell me things. I get bored here, and I like talking to you."

"Fine. Go."

Alfred didn't hesitate. "Tell me about the worst memory of your childhood. Don't lie, because I'd know."

Ivan swallowed. "The death of my mother. She was shot. The police said that she was simply at the wrong time in the wrong place. Gang violence."

Alfred leaned closer. "What about your father? Did he take care of you?"

"My father was an abusive bastard we left in Russia. My mother wanted a new life. And after the accident, my elder sister took care of me and my other sister."

Alfred nodded in thought. "Ah, nothing is like the connection between siblings."

"You had a brother. Matthew. Were you close?"

"Of course. I loved him dearly. I still do, although he never calls or visits me. But sometimes when Christmas or my birthday swings around, I always have a sliver of hope that he might. But it's obviously not likely since he changed his last name to Williams. If it's one thing I regret, it's disappointing my brother."

"Not eating people?"

"You know that answer already. Now, fork over the case."

Ivan sighed and opened up his briefcase and slid two folders into the food slide. "A copy of the Spider case file and a copy of the senator's offer."

Gingerly, Alfred handled the case and flipped through both folders, reading carefully. "Tell me about the little Jane Doe you found in the river."

"Well, besides obvious details, there was something in her throat. A wolf spider." There was a silence between them and Alfred looked up and started to laugh. It was a howling sort of sound that made the other patients shrink away in their cells like cowering dogs.

"He's mocking the both of us." He grinned. "What a fragile little lamb he is, dressed in a wolf's coat. He's losing, Ivan and he knows you're getting close. The spider wasn't born a criminal. He was molded into it by abuse and the world's cruelty. He hates his own identity. I bet there was a little bug egg in that girl as well."

"Wait how did you-"

"He wants to be born again. Not hard to guess, Agent. Use your brain, little lamb."

* * *

Liz had no idea what time it was. She didn't even know how long she was here for. If someone told her she was here for a day, a week, a year, she'd probably believe them. All of her sense of time was completely lost in the small dirt hole. The man threw down stale food for her occasionally, just to keep her alive, but she was weak. Liz knew that if the man came down to get her, she wouldn't have the strength to fight him off. She needed another plan. Her thoughts wondered to Gilbert and little Ludwig. Well, he's far from little now. It's almost laughable that she's here. Was it a ironic coincidence? She hoped not, or God had a sick sense of humor. Her nails were broken and bloody (she assumed, it was dark) from trying to claw her way out and her fingers were trembling.

A small meow interrupted her thoughts and saw a curious cat peer at her from on top of the hole. The one thing she learned was that whoever the man was, fawned over that stupid animal. Whatever the plan was going to be, it was going to involve a cat. She was going to get out of here or die trying.

* * *

"Hello Agent! This is Vargas! Or, one of the Vargas brothers, haha!" As soon as he left Alfred once again, he received a phone call from the little shack he visited a few days ago.

"Feliciano?" Ivan leaned into the speaker, hearing a chipper voice trying mask someone else's grumbling groans.

"Yes! Er, anyways, there was a discovery we made, and it was a mistake on our part and- Wait Lovi-" There was more rustling and rapid cursing that Ivan guessed was in Italian. Finally, it seemed that one of the brothers won the fight for the phone.

"Stop trying to sugar coat it, _carogna_. Agent? We screwed up with the analysis. Or Feliciano did. Those eggs don't belong to the spider. Hell, the spider was fucking male. And the eggs weren't even spider eggs. I analyzed them correctly since my idiot brother screwed up big time. Anyways, the eggs… They were the egg sac of a fucking _Lucilia cuprina_. A sheep blowfly. It's not even fucking spider eggs. Common maggots. I'm just giving my two cents in here, but the bastard probably wanted those eggs to hatch to eat away at the flesh. Fly larvae is used to measure a body's time of death too, so I'm stumped on why he would do that. Throw you off maybe? But anyways, if anything else happens we'll call you. That bastards real fucked up, whoever he is."

"Thank you." Ivan was shaking and Alfred's words echoed in his skull. ' _Use your brain, little lamb._ ' Everything was starting to piece together. Alfred knew the killer and he was trying to hint it to him like this was just for entertainment. Like a girl's life wasn't in danger right at this moment. Like this was all a fun little game.

Alfred didn't just know the killer. There was an obvious intimacy between them. Or a past intimacy. Alfred loved his metaphors and his patient must of loved them just as much. He was trying to show Alfred how successful he was, a true wolf. How he wasn't going to get caught no matter what. The killer was slipping right under their noses and to Alfred it was all a game. A sense of dread started to crawl up his spine. What if that girl was left just for him? Or a message for him to send to Alfred? Fuck, Alfred _knew_ those weren't spider eggs. He wasn't trying to be born again, he was showing off. Alfred had an admirer. The thought made him shudder.

Ivan immediately took out his phone to make a few calls. He knew exactly what to do next. He needed to talk to Alfred's younger brother. After all, according to the cannibal _'nothing is like the connection between siblings.'_

There must have been someone watching out for Ivan, or perhaps it was just a miracle. He was going to talk with Matthew Williams. The young man has never accepted an interview since his brother got caught. He had one once, but broke down into a panic attack and refused to talk to anyone about his brother again. Of course, no one blamed him, he was quite young and still in high school at the time. Especially since he was investigated thoroughly just in case he knew about his brother's activities before the police did. But he didn't. He wanted nothing to do with his brother and resided in a small town outside of Vancouver, Canada to escape the awful legacy his brother left him. But no one could run forever.

Within a day, Ivan somehow managed to call Matthew Williams who miraculously agreed to a meeting after some persuasion, received a permit, and enough funding for a small trip to Canada.

Ludwig got him a plane ticket the next morning to send him off for more information. Yao told Ivan he must of had a gift of charm or a lot of good karma. Ivan just wished his karma was good enough to save Liz. Everyday he noticed how much his superior aged just from the last week. He could only imagine how much it would destroy him to get a call that they found her body. It became personal for the entire station.

The trip in itself was painful. He was squished between two businessmen who could not stop talking, not to mention his own fear of flying didn't make it any easier. He felt like his entire world was squashed in a metal aircraft that could virtually crash and burn at any second. Worse yet, he'd die between two proud businessmen forced to die with uninteresting smalltalk. Ivan wondered that if they were to drop dead, they'd still be chattering about their affairs and divorces. When the plane landed, Ivan swore he was going to throw himself out the window just to escape the endless smalltalk.

The agent sighed, grabbing his bag and emerging out from the plane to immediately lay eyes on a nervous young man who looked impeccably like Alfred Jones, but in a way Ivan could only describe as 'two faces of the same coin'. Matthew's features were much softer and doleful than the needle sharp and proud ones his elder brother bore, and yet they could still look like twins. "Mr. Williams?"

The man flinched when he looked up but smiled soon after, still looking just as nervous. "Hello. Yeah, that's me. Which would mean you're Agent Braginski."

Ivan extended his hand and Matthew shook it. He could feel the other's hand shaking. "I can't thank you enough for meeting me. You are really helping so much already."

Matt's smile turned sheepish. "Oh well, hopefully I can. I can share whatever you need me to. Er, should we speak more at my home? Crowds make me a little nervous..."

"Of course."

Matthew told Ivan that we worked at home as a programmer and a website designer who often gets commissions from large corporations. He previously had to quit his last job due to his anxiety getting more and more severe. Ivan admired his courage for inviting him to his home to speak and Matthew blushed, denying humbly. When he invited Ivan into his apartment, he didn't expect it to look what it did. As far as anyone knew, Matthew was a shut in, a depressed hermit who lived in a cramped pigsty of an apartment. But it was spacious and clean as a whistle. The apartment was well furnished and decorated with beautiful artwork. He noticed one was an abstract painting what looked to be a scalpel. That was Alfred's prime weapon to slice up his victims.

"Did you make these yourself?"

"Yeah actually. Coping mechanism. After Alfred…. y'know. I picked up the hobby after a therapist suggested it and I've been painting and making poetry ever since. It seems to calm me down a lot more than medication. Make yourself at home. Let me make us some tea. Sugar and milk?"

"Thank you. And yes please." Ivan smiled as Matthew scampered off. It was obvious that the man still suffered. He could only imagine what it was like being brothers with the most vicious murderer in North America. The agent sighed and made himself comfortable on the sofa.

Matthew soon joined him and placed the teapot and mugs on the coffee table in front of him and settled in the chair across from Ivan, shaking his leg and tucking his hands defensively in his lap.

"Do you know why I'm here? I'm investigating a case with the Spider. Do you know of him?"

Matthew nodded. "Yeah." He muttered out quietly. "I read the newspaper. I suppose it's the only thing worth interesting nowadays."

"I talk to Alfred quite often as of lately." He could see the other man's muscles tense. "We believe he has a connection with the murderer. A former patient of his. He's giving us hints about this man, but's been proven difficult and we still don't have a name."

"I… don't know if I can help with that. All of his records were burned as far as I know, and he always disguises their names and stuff."

"We know. As much as we think the murderer is his patient, I also think he could have been a close friend. Or a lover even."

Ivan was taken aback when Mathew actually laughed. "Lover? No. He didn't have any friends either. He didn't love anyone, he's a sociopath. He hated people."

"He seemed to be quite fond of you."

Matthew sighed. "I guess I was the exception... I loved him too. He was my brother. But he knew me better than I did myself and that scared me. And I'm surprised you were able to talk to him. I thought he didn't talk to anyone. Especially the FBI."

Ivan took a slow sip from his mug, careful with his footing with Matthew. The last thing he wanted was for him to be uncomfortable and ask him to leave. He wanted to keep his own words as minimal as possible. "How do you work that out?"

"Like I said, he hated people. Well, I guess boring people. But everyone was boring. That's why he became a psychiatrist, y'know. To find someone interesting. I haven't spoken to him since he got caught, but the FBI were always trying to convince me to talk to him since they just couldn't get through to him. He was violent and silent."

"Was there any instance where he showed compassion to anyone? You perhaps?"

Matthew sat back. "Me? Uh well, maybe killing our parents." He let out a curt chuckle before wincing. "Well I mean, it wasn't like I wanted them dead." He added quickly. "I didn't even know he was the one who murdered them until his trial. But I think that was one of the big times he showed any sort of love towards me I guess. He wanted me to stop hurting. Both of my parents abused me, and Alfred, but he was larger and older. It really affected me. Most of my childhood is actually blacked out. PSTD, I guess. I don't remember anything except broken pieces in my memory. Dad hit me, hard, Mom started screaming, then the cops were at our door. Something about Dad got shot and how Mom was missing. It was easy to blame the spouse for the murder. No one would blame the kids." He sighed, sinking back into his chair. "They shouldn't be dead, but I'm glad they're gone. At least one thing that went positive because of Al." Matthew laughed. "God, sorry this must be sounding messed up to you, agent. That's the only thing that comes to mind."

"It's okay." Ivan smiled. "Did you ever meet any of his patients? Did any come to his house, or did you ever see him outside his sessions with someone he worked with?"

Matthew looked up in thought. "Actually... There was someone. He used to come over at Al's house for his appointments because the office gave him too much anxiety. I don't remember his name, but I remember he had a rare disease that caused him to lose his sense of taste. I lived with Al before... Y'know."

Ivan leaned forward. "Can you tell me anything at all about this man? Maybe what he looked like, the sound of his voice, what he wore, anything? What did they talk about?"

"Normal things I guess.." The man sighed and closed his eyes. "He had dark hair and his disease caused his nails to rot, and his lips were speckled black. Um, I think he had blue eyes? No, brown I think. Tall. Ah, I'm sorry, I'm blanking out." He opened his eyes and gave Ivan an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry."

"No please, you have been an incredible amount of assistance." The agent smiled kindly and stood up, Matthew following and shaking his hand one last time. "If you need anything or think of anything else, please call me."

"Oh, you're leaving? Do you have a hotel to stay at? I know a few places."

"No that's fine, I need to report straight back to my supervisor. He'd like to know what I have to say and he'll probably want me home as soon as possible."

* * *

Alfred frowned. When he was told he was expecting visitors, he was quite disappointed to see four men and a nurse instead of fun little Ivan. Well, he wasn't so little, but he was sure something to talk to. A true conversationalist partner. And now there were five very boring people in front of him that were as bland as mashed potatoes. He recognized one of the men as his doctor, Francis. Petty, petty little Francis. He analyzed him the second he stopped to analyze Alfred. Came from a rich family, obviously didn't do too well in med school or else he would have ended up somewhere more prestigious. He craved attention. And when Alfred didn't give him any, he threw a petty little fit.

"Oh my, are you transferring me already? But I believe we didn't catch the killer yet. That was part of Agent Ivan's deal, was it not? To also rescue the girl?"

"Jones, we have no idea who approved that agent's deal, but it didn't go through me. And as far as anyone is concerned, you belong to me. I get to decide what will happen to you. So, if you give us a name, we'll transfer you right away to Buringham. Not as nice as the cell that agent promised you, but you'll have a room next to a window and you'll be as far away from me as possible." Truly pathetic. Fine. He'll give him what he wants.

"His name is John Durak." Immediately the men started to scratch down the words. It was almost sad how much he could wrap people around his finger. Even when being caged like an animal. "He's a petite man with dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. Last time I remember he worked at PETA. Where do you think he got those peculiar specimens?"

Immediately the men started to mumble to themselves like gossiping high schoolers and the nurse shifted uncomfortable in her spot. Poor thing. Not having a brink of knowledge on what was happening, or going to. He smiled to himself, feeling at ease knowing that when he left, she wasn't going to get hurt. He only killed the rude after all, and she had a kind heart, treating him like an actual human being rather then these dogs. But if he called them dogs, he would be a hypocrite, wouldn't he?

"Back to the wall, Jones. We're going to transfer you. Keep your hands to yourself and everything will be fine. You know the drill." Francis took out a pen and signed some papers that one of the men handed him. He wasn't his anymore. Perfect. It was too bad he couldn't say his farewells to Ivan. But he was confident he'd see the man again. After all, he was drawn to Alfred like a moth. Francis placed his pen back down on the side table and shook hands with the man, looking proud and relieved. Let them see. Alfred was a patient man.

"Precisely." Alfred grinned. He did what he was told and pressed his body to the cold concrete wall as two men, he assumed the guards of the new hospital he was going to. He felt an icy shove pressing into his back and unkind cuffs squeeze into his wrists roughly. "Oh baby, I love it when my boys are rough." He teased and he could practically hear the guards roll their eyes.

"Shut up. Would you rather us put a muzzle on you like a dog?" He felt those hands pull him out of his glass box and grinned, stealthily grabbing his former doctor's pen while the guards were too busy being distracted by their own thoughts. No one noticed him stuffing it in the back of his pants. Petty sheep.

"Or like a wolf."


End file.
